Fairfield American's Christian Smith gets a hit during state tournament action against Newington.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Michael Iannazzo had just scored, Matt Vivona was rounding third and he was going to score and a one-run Fairfield American lead was expanding to three. And as the players celebrated in the dugout, standing on first base, Sean O’Neil basked in the magic of the moment.

Close to 10,000 in Lamade Stadium were cheering and for O’Neil, it was as if time stopped. There he was, in the center of it all, a pinch-hitter simply doing his job.

“It’s just crazy to get a hit in the world series with everyone watching on ESPN,” O’Neil said.

But over the course of this amazing summer tournament season, O’Neil hasn’t stood alone in the heroics department. In fact, Fairfield American has four other pinch-hitters, bench players, reserves — don’t you dare call them subs — that have all rose to the occasion when called upon.

“They’re making me look really good,” coach Wayne Righter said, who’s in charge of the substitutions in bringing in the reserves to get their at-bat. “They’ve all had their moments, haven’t they?”

And sometimes, they even start. When that happens, that means Anthony Pollack and Andrew Cutler occasionally find themselves in the guest-starring Fab Five role.

For O’Neil, his latest was on Thursday in the opening game of the Little League World Series against Jackson, N.J., as his hit gave Fairfield a 4-1 lead en route to a 7-6 victory, advancing them into today’s winner’s bracket game - 11 a.m., Lamade Stadium, ESPN - against Lufkin, Texas.

With 14 players on the squad it’s up to Righter, who handles the lineup changes, to make sure that each of the five reserves gets one at bat, per Little League rules. And for the most part, when Righter brings in a pinch-hitter, it’s worked to perfection.

No kidding. In the 10-0 New England Region championship win over Maine, the Fab Five went a combined 4 for 7 with four runs scored and two RBI. Smith had a RBI single, Dodder was hit by a pitch and scored a run and O’Neil went 2 for 2 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.

“Everyone comes in and wants to do their part,” manager Mike Randazzo said. “They all want to contribute to the team and we’ve been doing it all summer. We have a next man up mentality … we have five (substitute) hitters that we have to get in, which is not easy, especially in close games but we’re not afraid to put anyone up.”

Case in point. In a blowout win over North Branford in the Section 1 tournament, Randazzo took out several starters after their first at-bat. Smith came in and went 3 for 3 with a two-run homer and three RBI and Pollack went 3 for 4 with three RBI.

“It’s really important that we need the entire lineup to produce, especially our subs,” Pollack said. “I think that’s a big difference between our team and other teams … other team’s subs can’t really hit a well as our subs can. Up and down the lineup, we’re all able to hit.”

Over the course of the 19 games, the five have combined to hit a solid .378, led by Smith (.552) and O’Neil (.480). Smith has four home runs, Falletta three, O’Neil two and Kalagher one.

“We have a balanced lineup, one through 14 can all hit and get a hit whenever we need it,” Kalagher said. “We’re all trying to help the team out and so whatever we can.”

“We get just one at-bat and we have to produce in that,” Falletta said. “And usually we do a pretty good job.”

“What really stands out about our team is we have really good subs,” added Kalagher. “We might only get one or two at bats a game so we have to make the most out of them, work the pitcher, make them 10, 12-pitch at bats. Or get a hit and get on base and try to produce runs for the team.”

Kalagher has certainly done that. In perhaps the biggest game of the summer, Fairfield trailed Newington 4-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth. After Aidan Rivera and Smith both walked to open the inning, Kalagher lined a double to the wall in right center, scoring both runners and giving Fairfield a 5-4 win.

“My magic moment,” said Kalagher.

They’ve all had magic moments.

Falletta’s were hitting three home runs in the district tournament. For Smith, it was his 300-foot plus blast against North Branford in the sectionals.

“That was cool,” he said.

O’Neil’s was his first home run of the summer against Trumbull American in the districts.

“I never thought I was going to hit a home run,” he said. “My goal this summer was to hit a home run, just one. The actual hit didn’t even feel that good off the bat but it just kept going. I was so happy.”

Pollack’s was his two-run blast against Wallingford that gave Fairfield a 3-0 lead en route to an 8-6 victory.

“I had goosebumps rounding the bases,” he said.

Who wouldn’t?

A big key in the Fab Five’s pinch-hitting success is their preparation. All five will watch the opposing pitcher warm up to see how and what he’s throwing and in addition, they’ll question the starters to get a better feeling of his tendencies.

“Maybe before my at-bat I’ll ask someone that’s already faced him and see what he’s throwing, is he throwing fast, is he throwing slow,” added O’Neil said. “When he’s warming up I’ll watch from the bench, just to try and get the timing down. There’s a lot of preparation on the bench to get ready for your at bat.”

And so far, that preparation has paid off in 19 straight wins and a date against Texas in the second round of the Little League World Series.

“That’s what happens when you have a strong and deep bench,” Randazzo said. “Everyone has been contributing all summer. … top to bottom everyone is contributing.”